Merman
by surprisedreader
Summary: He was just curious, all he wanted to do was see a humans toes. It wasn't such a big deal. Maybe he should have asked Alfred how he'd gone about it because now Matthew is now stuck with a human he's keeping locked in cavern. Neth/Can Holland x Matthew
1. Chapter 1

The man was there again. Sitting on the edge of the rocks, looking over the ocean with that horribly longing look. Everything about the man mad Matthew think sharp. Sharp eyebrows, sharp chin, sharp hair sticking straight up. Maybe sharp was the wrong word. He had sharp features but Matthew had seen what muscles laid under that nice white button up shirt. A wonderful expansion of muscle that made Matthews stomach flip. Thick maybe? Toned? Matthew thought lazily as the man slipped off his suit coat laying on the rocks next to him and stretched a little. Damn it why can't he just take off the damn shoes? Matthew wondered biting at his lip from his hiding spot before glancing up at the sun.

It was almost time to go. He blew a bubble in the water in annoyance. He'd been coming here for weeks. All he wanted was to see the mans…what did Alfred call them? Tips? Tops? Toes? Yes toes was what his brother called the little things that were attracted to the ends of humans Foots? Feet?

Alfred claimed to have seen some once. Matthew wasn't sure he believed his twin as Arthur kept them both on a pretty tight leash when it came to spying on the humans. "It only brings trouble." Arthur insisted.

"Trouble what trouble?" Matthew wondered softly to himself. "No trouble at all watching from way out here." Matthew chewed at his lip annoyed again wondering what would happen if he want up to the man. Not showing off anything important of coarse…just maybe talking to him from his spot in the water they both spoke the same language.

Weeks he'd been watching and waiting. It wouldn't kill him to at least get a closer look he reasoned with himself glancing at the sun again before sliding under the water and propelling himself forward under the surface with practiced ease. Half way there Matthew popped the top of his head up out of the water keeping his nose under the surface and his eyes above as he tried to slow his heart rate. The fucking human was looking right at him. As water rippled around him and a wave washed over his head in passing before letting him surface again.

The man's normally smooth face scrunched up in a frown and he leaned a little forward. "Hello?" He called. 'Fuck' Matthew muttered under the water before lifting a hand and waving. Might as well go all the way now. He though, Alfred would, sliding back under and finishing the gap between them. "Hey." He greeted surfacing again keeping a safe distance away from the man on the rocks so he could make a fast get away if he had to.

"Are you allowed to be swimming in there?" The man asked and Matthew let his eyes trail up the human's shoes to his pants and the legs hidden underneath. God he would give up his left gill to see the strange split limbs naked though he's read that humans are touchy about nakedness.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Matthew asked softly frowning at the question.

"They closed this part of the beach to swimmers because they don't have enough life guards." Rock man said leaning closer to the edge to get a better look at Matthew who was immensely glad for the dark water hiding his lower half from view.

"Life guards?" Matthew mimicked. He wasn't sure what the man was talking about but guessed it had something to do with swimming and safety from his tone of voice. "I'm not worried I'm a good swimmer." He said smiling at the irony of that statement.

Rock guy snorted resting his arms on his bent legs, the part Arthur told him were called knees. "Whatever you say pal." He replied before looking back over the water with that longing look again. A gentle wave pushed Matthew a little forward and he thought something over.

"What is it you are looking for?" He asked drawing the amber eyed man's frown. "I just mean… If you want the ocean why not just swim in it? The water feels great."

"I don't swim." Rock man muttered looking away from Matthew's horrified face.

"You can't swim!" he squeaked.

"I CAN swim, I just don't." Rock man said sharply as another wave pushed Matthew forward so his hands braced against the rocks to keep himself still. Matthew relaxed, but just a little.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Don't you swim?" Matthew was looking at the legs again wishing he could just reach forward and touch it.

"I just don't."

"That's a stupid reason." He replied gnawing at his inner lip as he raised one hand slowly.

"What do you know?" Rock man snapped as Matthew inched his hand forward.

"I know that not swimming when you look at the water the way you do is stupid." He replied back smartly fingertips just brushing the pant leg when suddenly Rock man stood grabbing Matthew's arm and jerking him upright onto the rock yelling something about being harassed before they both looked down at Matthews dripping wet red tail before looking back at each other again eyes wide.

"Mermaid?"

Matthew jerked back with all his might pushing the end of his tail off the underside of the rock he was half on now forcing them both into the ocean.

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	2. Chapter 2

Matthew propelled himself through the water a short distance away before pausing to look back. He knew he should keep moving but he couldn't help but hesitate wanting to see what a swimming human looked like. The only problem was the human wasn't swimming.

In fact he wasn't moving at all and blood was starting to mix with the water around him making Matthew realize something was very wrong. It looked like rock man's head made an acquaintance with one of the boulders under the surface breaking open the skin above his right eyebrow. Matthew took a nervous breath through his gills before swimming back towards the passed out man and grabbing him around the waist pulling him upright.

He needed to get the man out of the water, predators would smell the blood, but there was no way in hell he could get them both back up the rocks and the beach was out too. He couldn't chance someone else seeing him Arthur would have his fins for breakfast.

'How long could humans hold their breath?' He wondered looking at the limp man in his arms before pushing once with his tail to get them moving. Now wasn't the best time to find out he decided leading them to a cave he'd found two days before while exploring the area. He pushed his body in first before hooking his arms under the humans and dragging him through the small entrance. Once they were both inside Matthew shoved off with his tail again propelling them to the hidden surface inside.

Matthew gasped switching from breathing under water to air and paddled himself and the human using one arm, to the edge of a large rock that jutted out of the side of the cave. He heaved the human up first as best he could before climbing up and grabbing him again underneath his arms dragging him all the way out of the water.

Now what? Matthew wondered looking at the man panting slightly from exertion. Stop the bleeding or start the breathing? Matthew made a whimpering noise wondering how to force the water back out of the human before deciding to winging it. He pressed his mouth over the humans and breathed, filling up the man's lungs before he shoved on the human's chest trying to force any water out. Much to his surprise the two legged thing jerked spitting up water as it turned on its side coughing and hacking out the water it had breathed into its inadequate lungs. Matthew gave the man some room watching him nervously as the human reached a hand up and touched his head looking at the blood on his fingertips before laying back again. "Fuck." He cursed voice echoing off the walls of the cavern.

"Are you alright?" Matthew asked, making the man jerk upright again and yell out in surprise. "What the fuck!"

Matthew jerked back diving into the water for protection before letting the top of his head surfacing a safe distance away. They looked at each other both wide eyed and skittish before Matthew swam a little forward raising his whole head out of the water. "Are you alright?" he asked again softly.

"I'm fine." Rock man snapped. "Where am I?"

"You're bleeding a lot." Matthew pointed out weakly feeling foolish.

"Head wounds bleed a lot, it will be fine. Now fish, were am I?" The man demanded looking more and more annoyed and slightly panicked.

"Ah well you passed out in the water and I couldn't take you back to shore so I brought you here to the underwater cavern." Matthew swallowed feeling like a complete idiot for almost killing the man and sat quietly as the amber eyed human looked around his surroundings.

The cave was probably twenty feet across and it was maybe seven feet high with little pin picks of light streaming down telling the human that the cave was a underneath the rocky out landing he normally sat on filtering air. Three fourths of the 'floor level area was water leaving only a quarter semi-circle out cut of smooth rock from him to sit on. The problem was he couldn't see how deep the water went or where the exit was for him to get out. He resigned himself to the fact that he needed the fish man to get him out he might as well try and be friendly. "What's your name?"

"Matthew…what's yours?"

"Holland…"

"Holland." Matthew tried out the name on his tongue looking the soaking wet man over before hoisting himself up onto the ledge.

"What are you?" Holland asked softly in amazement at the red scales that made up part of Matthews tail.

"Your people call us Mer's. I'm a merman, mermaids are females." Holland nodded dumbfound. It was a lot easier to think about getting out when he wasn't looking right at the evidence of a half man half fish. "You wanna see it?" Matthew asked with a smile as he used his hands to scoot himself back further onto the room lifting his tail up out of the water for Holland to see.

"This is amazing." Holland breathed in awe before reaching a hand forward to touch the appendage. The scales felt cool under Holland's fingers and Matthew chuckled. "I have to be honest your legs fascinate me as well.

The human jerked away at that looking startled. "My legs?"

"Ah well we're not supposed to come by humans so your mostly just something we read about. You're the first one I have ever seen that wasn't in a book." Matthew confessed with a shy smile.

Holland looked at the other man before frowning. "Do you have cuts on your neck?" He asked leaning forward and reaching a hand out.

"No!" Matthew yelped leaning back and slapping a hand over both sides of his throat. "Please don't touch them! Their sensitive." He said quickly blushing bright red.

"What are they?" Holland asked surprised.

"My gills…so I can breathe underwater…"

"Let me see them!" Holland said smiling. "I won't touch them I swear!" he said holding up his hands in mock retreat suddenly excited about seeing something probably no other human being had. "When am I ever going to be up close and personal with a merman again?"

Matthew swallowed frowning. "A deal."

"Deal?" Holland asked.

"I will let you look me over if I can look you over." Matthew said firmly.

"Sure." Holland replied easily making Matthew blink in surprise.

"Really?"

"Well it's not like I have anywhere else to be." Holland joked dryly making Matthew chuckle nervously. "You'll even let me look at your toes?" The mer asked blushing furiously. Holland raised an eyebrow at that chuckling a little "If you want yeah."

"Oh wonderful!" Matthew clapped his hands with joy before smiling widely. "Well take a look."

Holland hesitated a moment forcing himself to just look at the other man's taking in the dripping wet, slightly curly, blonde hair and his eager purple eyes. His face looked normal. Human.

His eyes traveled lower and he counted three slits on each side of the man's neck. There were hardly visible lines now that they weren't in use lying flat against Matthews skin but Holland suspected the gills would flair open underwater with each breath the mer took. His chest arm and hands all looked normal too he was on the pale side, not gothic pale but not exactly tan either, but that was expected from someone who lived under the surface. His chest was toned and his arms were thin but well-muscled from the constant swimming.

It was just under the man's chest that the red scales started. What was odd, in Holland's not so knowledgeable opinion was the start of the tail didn't cut straight across like it does in all the movies where the upper half is human and the lower half around the hips is all fish. The mer before him had scales on both sides of his hips, starting just below the ribs, but they dipped down making a V of human flesh in the middle that, if he had human parts that low, would have been near exposing important bits.

"You don't have a belly button." Holland said frowning looking at the smooth skin or his abs where a definite belly button would be on a human.

Matthew tilted his head to the side. "Belly button? Oh those are those things you humans have on your stomachs! Do you have one!" He asked excitedly eyes alight with enthusiasm.

"Well yeah…all humans have them. Why don't you?"

"Well I was born in an egg." Matthew replied like it was obvious. "So no belly button."

Holland's eyes widened at that. "An egg?"

"Yeah."

Holland frowned trying to get his brain working again after what he was seeing and think logically for a moment. "So your people are born from eggs? How many siblings do you have?" He asked thinking of the thousands of tiny eggs he had seen on the discovery channel that one night he got caught up watching so deep sea documentary. Matthew suddenly looked not quite so eager any more and his eyebrows knitted together in a frown.

"Only one...I was told a shark showed up during matting and devoured most of the eggs before the males could catch them. My fathers never quite recovered the lose of mom…the shark got her too so I never knew her but they never mated again."

"Your fathers?" Holland asked frowning. This mating didn't sound like anything he knew of.

Matthew flipped his tail in concentration frowning harder, obviously just as confused with Holland's lack of understanding. "Well let's see how can I explain this…Do you know anything about seahorses?"

"Seahorses?" Holland repeated even more confused. "No not really."

"Well Mer's are kinda like seahorses. The mermaid will drop her eggs and a merman will take the egg and put them our pouches." Matthew said patting his flat stomach. "We only get them during matting season. Once the egg is safely inside it will be fertilized and be developed and when it hatches you've got a baby mer. A mermaid will drop anywhere from ten to fifty eggs at a time so depending on how many males she has willing to mate with her you can have ten to fifty siblings."

"Jesus there must be millions of you!" Holland said shocked. "How have you avoided humans for so long?"

"Ah well…most babies don't survive their first year. The ocean is a dangerous place. That's why a lot of kids have several parents. We all kinda look out for each other."

"What happens to them? The babies I mean." Holland asked trying to wrap his mind around everything he was hearing. His head had finally stopped bleeding, but there was a dull thumping where a headache was starting to brew.

"Most of them get eaten." Matthew replied with a shrug. "Were not exactly the top of our food chain down here there are hundreds of hungry predators. A baby mer by their self or even with a school of others their own age is easy game."

Holland shuttered at the idea of anything creeping in and eating a human child in the night. How devastating for the parents.

"What are those?" Holland asked trying to change subjects, not sure if he could stomach any more talk of children getting eaten.

Two things hung limply at Matthews sides on his lower hip before he flared them out, showing the beautiful red and white striped fins off. They were ribbed and Holland was mildly sure the ends would be sharp. He wasn't much for fishing but once when he was a kid he'd tried to grab a bass wrong and it had cut his hand right open. Thin ribbons of red and white fin hung down around the spikes looking like strange hair. "Just fins." Matthew answered. "When I'm underwater the rest of it spreads out making me look bigger in case I have to fight." Holland nodded like an idiot noticing that the further down the tail he looked the more specks of white turned to long sporadic strips. The tail itself reminded Holland of some type of dolphin but with the tiny scales of a fish before it reached the end were it split off making the flukes. The end of the tail was solid at first before it too frayed out into long strips that Holland was sure would spread out like the ones on the fins higher up.

"Can I?" He asked holding his hand out and Matthew nodded once biting his lip as if he too was nervous. The human stretched his hand forward slowly hopping not to startle Matthew any not knowing how strong the man was but not wanting to piss him off and find out when surrounded by this much water. His hand slid down the smooth tail feeling the almost like those stupid shirts girls wore with all the sequins on it only not so scratchy. He reached were the tail split and ran his hand down one side closing it into a loose fist around the long strands of fin. They were between a foot and a half to two feet long. The Mer would look massive in the water with the length spread out. He dropped the length and turned to face the man wanting to take a closer look at the skin to scale change over only to catch sight of something pressed flat against the mans back.

Holy shit he was like the bass! Holland thought already able to tell that the skin laying against the mers human looking back would stretch out into a shark fin just like on his tail. Watching the human catch sight of his dorsal fin Matthew half turned to show it off stretching it out and showing of his well-toned back at the same time. The fin was only about a eight inches long bit had the same strips that seemed to accompany any fin on the mers body. The scale pattern was the same on his back as it was the front forming a V where the dorsal fin sprouted out of going about half way up his back. Holland reached a hand out again and touched mers hip, stretching his hand wide to grip the whole hip feeling both human flesh and scales. It was smooth. No lump from one part to the other. It was like feeling a regular persons skin then feeling the softer flesh of a scar. It was a different texture but all felt natural. Jesus this is weird." Holland muttered rubbing his hand back and forth on the hip before looking up at Matthew who was looking back at him blushing furiously red.

Holland jerked back like he was burned. "Are you alright?" He asked blushing a little himself but unsure why.

"Yes you're just very…firm." Matthew almost squeaked the last word turning even redder. "We only brush when we touch each other you now. Like fish."

In Holland's mind he envisioned fish swimming around each other just barely touching afraid to push one off the track they were swimming in. "Did I hurt you?" He asked frowning.

Matthew shook his head quickly hands nervously clasped over his stomach as he chewed at his lip. "No it was…um…invigorating."

Holland breathed out a half laugh and Matthew chuckled before the both fell quiet again. Matthew licked his lips nervously before looking up at Holland through his pale lashes. "My turn?" He asked. "Can you take off those pants?"

Holland blinked at that. "What?"

"Well I wanna see what a human looks like under all that stuff they were. I know your upper body looks like ours." He said touching his own chest. "But the legs…and the toes…I wanna see all that!" Matthew looked at him nervously and Holland ran a hand threw his limp wet hair groaning at how embarrassing this was about to be. He stood up and Matthew's beautiful purple eyes went comically wide not helping Holland's confidence at all.

Gritting his teeth Holland unbuttoned his slacks while kicking off his black dress shoes and worked the sopping wet material down his legs and kicked them to the side as well before lifting one foot up at a time and jerking the socks off before dropping back down to his ass the whole time refusing to look at Matthew. Silence followed and Holland bit the inside of his cheek cursing himself for being so shy before looking up to see why the merman was being so quiet.

Matthews eyes were huge. Holland wondered if his eyes looked the same when he was looking the fishman over moments before. Probably.

"Can I touch them?" Matthew asked unable to look away from the ten little appendages at the end of Holland's foot.

"Sure." Holland replied softly trying to fight down his blush as Matthew slowly reach his hand forward before pausing hovering over Holland's left foot. Matthew finally seemed to build up enough confidence and gently brushed his fingertips against the toes. Tentatively Matthew slipped his index finger in the space between Hollands big toe and the next making the human twitch a little at the ticklish feeling and in return made Matthew jerk back. "They move!" He shrieked.

Holland snorted wiggling the little digits. "Yeah they move."

"Oh wow!" Matthew said entranced dragging himself a little more forward to get a better look before glancing nervously at Holland before lifting one of his feet off the ground inspecting it.

"This is amazing." Matthew said softly letting one hand keep the foot up while the other traced upwards to the ankle. "Does this move?" He asked. Holland wiggled his foot at the ankle to show he could. Matthew made another amazed noise before abandoning the foot to travel further up the leg. He messed with the tiny hairs wondering what they were for chuckling as Holland bet his knee to show how it worked. "It doesn't wiggle?" Matthew asked Holland who was leaning back on his palms to let Matthew maneuver his leg about.

"No it's like an elbow. Only one way movement." Matthew 'ah ha-ed' and traveled a little further up feeling the thicker muscle before pausing. "What are these?" he asked looking at the blue undergarments Holland still wore.

"My underwear." Holland muttered feeling a little more shy then when he'd first started.

"Your what?" Matthew asked frowning feeling the material between his fingers.

"Underwear to keep me from being naked."

"Why what's under there?" Matthew asked pulling himself more between Holland's legs gripping the top of the garment pulling it down to his knees. "What is that?"

He asked bewildered looking at the bit of flesh lying limply between his thighs.

"Jesus Christ!" Holland hissed shoving Matthew back and jerking his underwear back up. The other man's face was just way to close making his lower belly heat up in a way that was not beneficial to a naked prick. "It's my penis." Matthew blinked at the term making Holland growl in annoyance. "For sex!" Things in Matthew mind seemed to start to turn before his face flushed.

"I'm so sorry! I have heard of this sex thing humans do! It's very personal right! That thing is what you use? How does that work?"

"It gets bigger." Holland said defensively while Matthew tilted his head to the side frowning before the human realized he wasn't being made fun of but the merman really had no idea how human sex worked. "Oh jezz…" Holland muttered wondering how he was going to make it through this conversation with the attractive man sitting between his thighs like was as without making things weird.

"Look male humans have penis-"

"Like whales!" Matthew chimed in happily making Holland scowl not liking being compared to a fish.

"Yeah I guess. I don't really know anything about whales. Anyway it um gets erect and the male can put in in a female human."

"Put it in were?" Matthew asked frowning like he was trying to get a visual of how this worked.

"Shit ok listen. Where I have a penis girls have a vag."

"Vag?"

"Vagina…God this sucks. It's a hole the male puts his… you know man parts in and ejaculates and she gets knocked up and has the kid." Holland said rushing through the messy part face on fire feeling like he was going to burst into flames despite his dripping wet shirt.

"Your females carry your young? That's cute." Matthew said smiling though he still looked a little confused. Holland sighed rubbing at his head again and opened his mouth to ask Matthew another question before water splashed down on him from above. "Shit." He cursed sputtering water and looking up. "Damn it high tide is coming in." He hisses. Normally he would have left off the rocks twenty minutes ago giving the high tide a wide berth not wanting to get caught up in it when he was above ground.

"Oh no!" Matthew said paniced pulling Holland towards the edge of the water. "We have to go! This place is gonna fill up in no time."

"Matthew I don't know if I can hold my breath long enough to get to the surface!" Holland gasped as water poured over them from above again.

"We're not going to the surface!" Matthew called back jerking them both headlong into the water again.

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	3. Chapter 3

Holland gasped in a deep breath before water surrounded him, dulling all of his senses from sight to sound, making fear in him rise to an almost unbearable level. The human flailed like a fish out of water trying to get Matthews hand off him so he could go back to the surface and fill his starving lungs but the fish-man refused.

Bubbles flowed past his face as he was drug lower into the cavern until it was too fuzzy and dark for him to see any further, forcing his distress to elevate into a mind numbing panic. Holland lashed out with a fist, connecting to Matthew's temples with a slowed but powerful thump when he could take the stress of thinking he was going to be drowned no more. The mer jerk away from the man startled before he let out a screech in anger; showing off previously hidden shark like teeth. The noise was so high pitched it rattled around in the Holland's head like nails on a chalk board making him shut his eyes and try and cover his ears.

Holland would swear his heart stopped as his panic of drowning became secondary to his terror of the creature before him as he opened his eyes again when the sound stopped. Matthew looked much larger in the water then he did out of it with his fins flowing gently around him taking up space even though they weren't extended to their full potential in a threatening manner. Holland couldn't look away from the half man's face before him, frightened of the very obvious predator-like fangs he had. Prey didn't have teeth like that, hunters did. Meat eaters did. Mer's were obviously not just some guppy on the ocean food chain but something a bit higher up.

My Matthew, what big teeth you have. All the better to eat you with my dear. Holland thought morbidly.

Seeing his fear Matthew blinked and tilted his head, lowering his eyes in apology before pulling Holland slowly towards him hooking an arm around his waist to hold his body close. The human stiffened and put his free hand on Matthews's chest to push him back as butterfly's churned in his lower belly while the mer eased towards him. Holland felt the pounding below his palm of the half-fish's steady heartbeat, slow in comparison to his own hearts panic induced speeds.

Matthew's hands were gentle, mere brushes of fingertips against his hip to keep him still as he leaned his mouth down and their lips touched. The kiss was light at first, the feeling muted by the water all around them, but grew heavier until all he could feel on his mouth was Matthews wonderfully talented lips. Holland had the briefest of moments to think it wasn't really a bad way to die before he felt Matthew forcing air into his mouth and suddenly his lungs burned in a whole new way jerking every other thought out of his head.

No longer was it the burning of starving for air, which was indeed still there, but quieted now by the screaming agony of his lungs in spasm the burning in his neck and in the depths of his ears, nose, and the back of his eyes. Holland jolted away from Matthew shoving him back as hard as he could, putting space between them, but the red tailed man still refused to release his arm. Keeping them together as Holland thrashed in pain opening his mouth to scream allowing the sharpness of the salt water covering his tongue. The dull noise was hardly satisfying in comparison to his anguish as his eyes burned even more with tears that were immediately swept away by water.

Holland lost himself in the screaming, lost himself in the thrashing, and lost himself in the pain before finally breaking down into a fit of sobs that shook his whole body. Matthew pulled him in close again, letting the human's head rest against his shoulder and pet his hair, playing with the floating strands as the human slowly came to his own realization that sobbing involved deep heaving breaths to work correctly and he was doing so without a problem.

"Are you alright?" Matthew's voice whispered in his ear making the blond jerk upright to look at Matthew with suddenly crystal clear vision. Holland forced air out his nose in surprise watching as the bubbles floated upwards and Matthew smiled beautifully. "It worked! I was afraid it wouldn't."

Common sense kicked in after the third time Holland felt bubbles pour out of his nose and tickle the sides of his neck where it now seemed a set of gills rested. He frantically exhaled and covered his mouth and nose to keep from sucking in any more water. "Holland! Holland cut it out!" Matthew begged finally releasing his arm so he could pull the humans hands away from his face. "Relax! Your fine! Breathe! Breathe or you're going to pass out! BREATHE Damn it!"

Matthew ripped Holland's hands away from his face forcing him to breath in the water again and watch in astonishment as it processed and filter out threw his new set of gills leaving his lungs feeling satisfied with the oxygen it was receiving.

"You're alright, see. You're fine." Matthew released him slowly smiling before pushing back with his tail towards an opening in the rock wall Holland's eyes could now see. "Come on."

Taking a steading breath, that did nothing to actually calm the humans frayed nerves, Holland forced himself to swim after Matthew through the hole. Once outside the cave Holland's new ears picked up all kinds of sounds he'd never heard before. Fish swimming in schools near by, the waves crashing far above him. "My god." He breathed out in surprise while Matthew smiled at him.

"Would you like to see more?" The mer asked.

"Yes." Holland spoke the word surprised by how clear it sounded even though he already knew it would from listening to Matthew.

"There is a reef a little ways out." Matthew said swimming backwards slowly waiting for Holland to catch up with his less efficient human limbs. "It is quite beautiful."

"I have seen pictures." Holland replied kicking his legs to try and get himself moving. Matthew chuckled taking Holland's hand and dragging him along as he propelled them forward with his tail.

"What's a picture?" The longer haired blond asked looking ahead as he swam.

"It's like…an image of a real thing." Holland tried to explain as he kicked his feet harder to keep up. Matthew made a face not quite understanding and looked back at Holland slowing his pace a little to make the human more comfortable. The mer's purple eyes seemed brighter in the water then they had out of it and a film blinked down over them before his real eyelid making Holland shiver.

"How does your head feel?" Matthew asked filling the silence reaching around to feel the cut above Holland's eyebrow as they swam on. The larger man winced a little and shrugged. "It's fine." He muttered and Matthew smiled showing off his too sharp teeth again. The fear snapped quickly threw Holland before it was suddenly replaced by awe as they approached the reef Matthew had been talking about.

It was absolutely breath taking. More than any picture could ever do justice. The colors were amazing greens and pinks and blues. There were rock like things that were bright orange and plants that looked like tumble weeds. Little groups of fish swam all around them. Schools of tiny bright oranges and larger brilliant yellows. Striped angel fish and long thin fish that were grey and sliver. Along the bottom in the sand rested sting ray that Matthew eased him away from with a chuckle.

"Oh Matthew…this is wonderful." Holland whispered and felt the mer's hand tighten in his own as they stared at the beauty before them.

"Don't touch them." Matthew instructed leading them into the through the walls of sharp coral. Holland followed in stunned silence. Everywhere he looked was beautiful. Life he had never before been able to see from above the water that lay just under the surface was now presented to him in stunning clarity. Matthew lead them out of the reef and too the ocean floor showing Holland the mix of sand and smooth stones and shells. It was stunning. Holland reached a hand down picking up a small shell. "Thank you Matthew…this is amazing."

"You humans are very easily impressed." Matthew teased bringing them to a halt so he could face Holland. "You should see the mer city we live in."

Holland looked up from the shell in his hand in surprise. "A city?"

"Well yes. You didn't think we lived out in the open did you?" the blond asked with a big smile. "We're not whales you know."

Holland laughed a little at that before looking passed Matthew eyes widening. "What is that sound?" He asked seeing something further out.

"Dolphins." Matthew replied with a shrug. "They are still a ways off. Do you wanna see them?"

"YES!" Holland gasped and Matthew chuckled again taking his hand and leading the way.

The dolphins pod approached them before as they came near making high pitched chirping sounds that Matthew mimicked back releasing Holland's hand to bump heads with one of the large animal. There was a total of twelve bottlenose dolphins in all swimming around them playfully bumping Holland making his heart nearly stop in excitement and fear. "Play with them Holland. They like you!" Matthew laughed swimming a circle with one of the gray creatures.

"Can I touch them?" He asked reaching a hand forward as another swam by. "Absolutely." Matthew called back holding the dorsal of one letting it drag him around before letting go.

Holland tentatively ran his hand down the hid of the passing fish in awe. The skin felt think and smooth and the muscle underneath powerful. He laughed when a smaller one dove through his legs and another nudged him with its nose. Matthew came back and grabbed Holland's hands with a laugh tugging him into action swimming with the dolphins easing him onto ones back so he could hold on.

"Don't let go." Matthew said softly in his ear releasing his hands to swim next to him at the same pace.

This was it. The feeling Holland was missing. The feeling Holland came to the beach every day to find.

This was freedom.

"Matthew!" He called out making the mer lean closer to him, so he could hear better, before Holland leaned in too and kissed him. It wasn't smooth or even right on the lips. It was more on the side of the mouth and overly rough from their swimming but Matthew blinked as he pulled back in surprise and laughed gently making Holland laugh too.

It was perfect.

The pod changed direction headed up and Matthew fell back. "Let go." He called. But Holland didn't want to. He wanted to crash though to the surface with these powerful wild beautiful creatures holding onto his freedom for just a moment longer.

"HOLLAND LET GO!" Matthew yelled from behind him. "BOAT! There's a boat!" Glancing to his left Holland saw the large hull of a boat that he hadn't noticed before. If another human saw him out here without a boat and riding a dolphin they would investigate. His fun would come to an end.

Closing his eyes Holland released the dorsal fin coming to a slow stop still well below the surface and watching at the dolphins disappeared into the shinning world above only to come crashing back down, looping lower to come up and do it again leaving Matthew and Holland behind.

"I'm sorry." Holland apologized heading back towards the nervous looking Matthew.

"It's alright. You didn't know better." He said ringing his hands and looking up at the boat above. "Let's go please." He said heading back lower into the water. Holland sighed feeling slightly dejected as he followed.

"The dolphins…" Holland spoke up after some quiet travel. "They were bigger than I thought they would be."

Matthew glanced back at him finally slowing down so they were going the same pace. "I'm glad you liked them." He replied gently still obviously a little shaken about their near surface incident.

"Do you get to play with them often?"

"More then you." The mer replied coyly glancing at Holland who smiled back.

"Where are we going?" The human asked feeling a little tired from all the swimming.

"I thought you may want to see some whales." Matthew replied flipping around so he could face Holland and swim backwards at the same time flicking his tail with practiced ease. "They are bigger than the dolphins and you seemed to like bigger things best if your kiss is anything to go by."

Holland flushed at that and Matthew smiled, blushing a little himself. "Mer's don't kiss often. It is considered…the highest level of intimacy for our kind. Seeing as we don't have intercourse like other animals. I find I am rather enjoying it with you, human."

"Have you kissed anyone before?" Holland asked.

Matthew flushed bright red at that and flipped back around and pushed himself forward to put some space between Holland and himself. "That's kind of personal." he muttered.

"Whoa hang on. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I…oh wow."

Matthew paused and looked back offering Holland his hand which he took, mostly out of a need to hold on to something as he took in the monster before him. "Humpback your people call them."

"It's huge." Holland breathed out.

Matthew squeezed his hand tighter showing his support and watched as three enormous whales swam around them. "Don't move." Matthew whispered softly as whale went by on either side of them shifting the water. "Reach your hand out slowly."

Holland reached a shaking hand out and felt his breath leave his gills in a huff of startled realization that he was running his fingers on the under belly of an animal eleven times his size. The mammoth creature was softer then he was expecting as it brushed against his finger tips and Matthew slowly easy behind him and pressed his hand over Holland's making it flat against the beasts side.

"Do you feel him?" Matthew whispered tail flicking gently between the humans feet keeping them both relatively still as his free arm wrapped around Holland's waist.

"Yes." Holland whispered back, afraid any noise louder than the gurgle of the bubbles would break the spell he was under. The fluke of the whale passed overhead as the one to their left let out a lazy low groan sound as they continued on to their unknown destination.

Holland's palm tingled from the contact and Matthew chuckled in his ear. "There are bigger ones. The blue whale can reach up to a hundred times our size. What would you give me if I showed you one of those?" He teased slowly releasing Holland so he could turn around and face him.

"I would have to give you a very very thorough kiss." Holland replied with a grin before movment over Matthews shoulder caught his eye. It took a total of half a second to register what he was seeing.

"SHARK!" Holland shrieked.

Matthew glanced behind him as the human tried to tug them both away and made a face. "What is your problem?" The mer asked tugging Holland back to a stop facing him. "It's just a fish."

"I giant, man eating fish!" Holland said enunciating the 'man eating' part tugging harder as Matthews wrist as it glided its way closer.

"I am mildly sure that sharks do not eat men on a regular basis." Matthew deadpanned rolling his eyes. "He wants nothing to do with us Holland calm down."

"So you're saying sharks are just friendly misunderstood creatures hu?" The human snapped growing panicked watching the beast swim along getting closer.

"I'm saying…please stop trying to swim off just sit still." The blond paused jerking Holland back toward him and grabbing his waist so he would stop trying to swim off before starting up again. "I'm saying that you were in more danger trying to touch that sting ray or be swallowed up by the whales then you are from that shark. They don't attack for no reason and we're not bothering him. There are far scarier things in this ocean then that one little shark Holland." Matthew laughed pulling him closer so the human's pelvis was pressed against the front of his tail.

Holland relaxed a little watching the 'man-eater' swim on and wrapped his arms around Matthew's shoulders feeling the top of his sharp mohawk like fin down the mers back just brushing the tops of his fingers. "Oh yeah like what?"

Matthew smiled shyly before he spotted something over Holland shoulder and went pale. "Like my family."

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	4. Chapter 4

Holland was pushed behind Matthew before he realized what was going on. Matthew's fins puffed of in a beautiful display of red and white that had Holland in awe. A shriek from the oncoming group was his response as the three stopped a little bit away.

"Matthew! Mon cher, where have you been?" A lithe long haired blond asked looking startling like Matthew though his tail was a striped pattern of deep blue, white and red. "We were worried."

"Forget worried!" A smaller man snarled flicking his own tail in annoyance The appendage was also mostly blue but had crisscross strips of white in something like the shape of X's. "I could just kill you child we have been looking everywhere for you!"

"What is that thing you've got there Mattie!" A younger looking male asked tilting his head and looking behind the still aggressive looking mer. The young ones tail spread out a little in response to his brothers showing off his red and white thin strips with small speckles of blue dotting up and down the whole length. "Holy Triton! That's a human! Dad, Mattie's got a human!"

"What in the bloody hell have you been doing?" The small man yelled coming close and Matthew screeched again which only caused the other group to puff up displaying their own spikes and sharp teeth as they swarmed Matthew. The one who looked like Matthew took the other mers hands in his own flattening his fins and kissing both the boys cheeks. "We were worried Matthew. Don't let Arthur say otherwise."

Arthur got extremely close to Holland making the human kick his legs a little to back up before the muscled younger one grabbed onto his foot pulling it up so he could get a better look. "TOES! Matthew have you seen these!"

"Yes Alfred! Put him down!" Matthew snapped and the man holding his hands chuckled smoothing down Matthews fins like a human parent would a child's rumpled hair to sooth them.

"Now, now, no need to fuss."

" But Papa! He's just learning to swim." Matthew whined going over to Holland and pulling him right side up making him feel a little disoriented. Was he really right side up or was he sideways? Everything was so confusing in the deep ocean.

Alfred was swimming circles around the human looking him over excitedly as the one they called Arthur glared death at him with his arms crossed. "Why is he wearing the cloth?" Alfred asked stopping in his too fast movements to try and pull at the elastic before Matthew swatted his hand away.

"Humans are private about their sex organs!" He said making Holland heat up despite the cold water around him.

"Is that were they keep it! Between those…what are they called again Dad?"

"Legs." Arthur replied sounding annoyed. "Matthew honestly what were you thinking! You could have killed the poor land walker!"

"I was trying to save him! You see well…I was…I mean"

"You were up at the surface again weren't you?" Arthur puffed up and Matthew ducked his head. "Honestly Matthew you're worse than Alfred sometimes! What would you have done if someone saw you?"

"No one saw me! No one comes to that part of the beach but Holland!" Matthew insisted trying to wiggle his way out of impending trouble.

"Holland! Oh we're naming the land walkers now are we?"

"No that's his name! He told me, when we were looking each other over!"

"Matthew Williams!" The small mer burst out blushing slightly. "You touched that…that human!"

"His toes and his legs! I felt his knee and how it moves and the little part that connects the leg and the foot it wiggles! And I saw a penis and you know what I liked it and I let him touch me too! And I kissed him! I kissed him and I changed him and you wanna know what else? I kissed him again for no other reason but because I wanted to!"

By the time Matthew was done ranting Holland was ten shades of red and Arthur looked like he was going to explode before the one Matthew called Papa started to laugh. "Francis! You can't really find this funny!" Arthur snapped as Alfred looked at his brother with a secret kind of respect for having done all those things.

"Oh Arthur they boy is growing up! You didn't think he would stay young forever did you?"

"Listen here frog-"

"Frog?" Holland mimicked softly and Matthew looked at him sheepishly. "Frogs swim in water but live on land. It's an insult Dad uses but Papa finds it endearing.

"I knew the boys would grow up but this is just ridiculous swimming around kissing-"

"If I remember right we were two years younger than the boys when we started kissing under the coral sneaking away from the rest of the school just so we could be alone." The man said pressing closer to the sputtering messy haired blond intertwining their fingers.

"You kissed _me_ you over imposing bastard!" Arthur snapped blushing furiously red trying to get away from the hands-y man. "And this is different! That thing is a human Francis!"

"I remember a time mon coeur," The longer haired man purred "when you wanted to see the humans too. You would go on and on about them. How you wanted to feel their dry hair and count their toes. I was very jealous."

"What is your point?" Arthur snapped.

"Let our boy learn on his own Arthur! We can only show them so much. And what harm can one little human do? He can hardly swim in a straight line for tritons sake. He wouldn't get very far if he tried to flee and who will believe him when he returns to the world above?"

Arthur huffed and Holland suddenly felt very trapped by the water all around him. He was too far away to find his way back to shore alone and even if he did what would he tell people about the gills in his neck?

Francis released Arthur with a smile and turned to face Matthew and Holland while Alfred swam back to his father's side. "Mon cher you need to return the human back to the surface."

"But papa-" Matthew rushed before the man placed a finger on the younger's lips to silence him.

"The ocean is no place for a human. He can't live down here like us. You need to take him back to where you found him." Francis pushed some of his hair back over his shoulder and then clasped Matthew's hands in his. The mer opened his mouth to protest before he looked into his father's eyes and his mouth opened and closed a couple of times before he just nodded quickly.

"I will. It will take a few days for me to swim him there and then come all the way back home. The trip is long." Matthew finally managed to say, backing up a little to be closer to Holland with his hands locked behind his back. Francis smiled at him and Arthur frowned while Alfred tried to get one last look at Holland's scissoring legs..

"Be safe please." Francis said gently before looking Holland in the eye. "Take care of my boy."

"Thank you papa. I will be home in under a week!" Matthew cut in before turning to face Holland grabbing him by the arm and swimming off as fast as he could dragging the flailing human behind him.

"Matthew slow down!" Holland begged before the Mer actually let him go and did a looped in a tight spin of excitement up above him.

"Oh Holland! I can't believe it!" Matthew laughed opening his hand to look at the little bottle in his hand. "He gave it to me! He gave it tom ME!"

"He gave you what?" Holland asked following after the ecstatic fish.

"Look!" Matthew swam up to Holland opening his clenched fist again to show him a small vial with a rose pink mixture inside and a dead seahorse tied to the outside by a lock of blond hair that looked like it was pulled out. "Papa had it made for Dad when they were young but Dad would never take it! He didn't want to leave the sea."

"Leave?" Holland echoed as Matthew made a happy high pitched chirping sound closing his fist again so he wouldn't lose it.

"It will make me be able to be human!"

"H-human!" Holland stuttered paddling after the hyper mer. "As in with legs and breath air and no gills!"

"YES!" Matthew replied laughing and holding the vial to his heart. "Oh I have dreamed of this my whole life! Say you will take me on land Holland! Oh please promise me you will!"

"I-I um. Yeah I-I guess I could show you around but um…Are you gonna be stuck that way?" He asked nervously.

"Oh no no. I will be like you. I can go back and forth." The blond replied with wave of his hand.

"Woah woah! What?"

"You can go back and forth between breathing water and air. It's a gift! Oh I'm so excited!"

Holland sighed watching the mer do flips and spins and laugh as he lead the way back to shore and the human couldn't help but wonder what Matthew would look like with legs . He blushed a little at the thought but Matthew didn't notice to busy blabbering about everything he wanted to do.

"I want to climb a tree Holland! Oh could you imagine it! Being that high up above the ground like that! Have you ever climbed a tree?"

"Not since I was a kid."

"What about running? And dancing! I heard humans do this thing called dancing where they move together to music. Do you dance?"

"I haven't in a very long time."

"Oh Holland I'm so excited! Where do you sleep?"

"A bed."

"A bed?" Matthew repeated making a face. "I don't know what that means. Will you show me? Can I sleep there with you? I have never slept alone before."

"Uh y-yeah I guess that's alright."

"Will anyone else be sleeping with us?" Matthew asked swimming backwards at a quick pace watching as Holland's whole face heated up.

"N-no!"

"You don't share your sleep with anyone? Humans are social creatures correct? You pick a mate or two or something like that…You don't share this bed with them?"

"I'm not dating anyone." Holland forced the words out swimming faster just so he could focus on the burning in his muscles.

"Dating? Is that a human ritual?"

"It's where you take someone out and show them a good time and try to get to know each other." Holland explained.

"Oh so like today I took you dating? And when we reach shore you will take me dating?" Matthew asked tilting his head a little as fish swam by hiding Holland's initial embarrassment.

"No! No the term is used for taking out someone out you like."

"Well I like you and you kissed me so I think you like me so wouldn't it be dating?"

"It would be called a date and um…it's more like for finding a potential ah… mate."

Matthew frowned at that. "My people aren't like your people as we aren't limited to so few partners as you are, so I don't really understand but are you saying you don't find me to be a potential mate?"

"No! No I'm- its just-I…don't have any idea what I'm trying to say." Holland finished lamely and Matthew chuckled swimming forward placing a light kiss on his lips. "If you want to I would like to try being mates with you."

Holland opened and closed his mouth a few times shocked making Matthew chuckled and take off again not waiting for an answer.

The rest of the trip was made in almost silence with the occasional happy noise from Matthew and the 'oh wow' from Holland when something swam by.

When they reached the rock's where Holland normally sat Matthew took a deep breath shooting the human a nervous and excited look. "Are you ready?" He asked and Holland nodded.

"Let me climb up first and then I can pull you with me." Holland said and Matthew nodded.

Holland took one last breath under water before he pushed himself to the side of the rocks and started to pull himself up. The climb was harder than Holland had thought it would be with the water smacking against his back trying to suck him back in with every wave and the water having gone down with low tide making him have to climb higher to make it to the safety of the flat surface. Turning around he reached a hand down to Matthew who was watching him looking more nervous than excited now that they were actually getting out of the water under the light of the moon.

"Come on!" Holland urged, his limbs starting to feel like jelly from swimming for so long. Matthew reached up and the human jerked him up out of the water onto his rock.

They sat there a minute panting a little before Matthew licked his lips and looked at the vial in his free hand. "I hope this works." The mer pulled the top off and shot the liquid back swallowing it down before he could chicken out.

"Your gills are gone." Matthew said lightly reaching a hand out to touch the now smooth skin startling Holland. He hadn't even felt the change. Matthew smiled weakly clenching his hands and leaning forward a little. "Oh…Oh Triton it hurts." He panted as Holland grabbed his shoulders to keep him upright.

"Matthew?"

"Oh make it stop! Holland make it stop!" A disturbing wet sound cut through the breaking of waves against rock and Holland watched in horror as blood coated the ground around them and Matthew's tail split in half.

"Oh God." Holland whispered hearing the crack of bone and Matthew fell back against the ground and screamed the evening gulls not even able to drown out his cry.

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